Dermatology nurse prescribing in China:a Delphi method

Objectives:To identify the dermatological system drugs that may be prescribed by Chinese dermatological nurses through expert consensus.Methods:A 2-round study,consisting of 32 medical and nursing exper ts,was conducted using the Delphi method from September 2019 to June 2020.Microsoft Excel 2019 and IBM SPSS Ver.22 were used to analyze the results of the consultations.Results:A total of 63 drugs across 13 categories were identified as relevant to Chinese nurses working in dermatological departments.Among these drugs,1 drug was generally prescribed independently,17 drugs tended to be prescribed collaboratively,and 45 were prescribed either independently or in collaboration with others.Conclusions:This exper t consensus determines the prescription drugs that may be prescribed by dermatology nurses in China,which can be used as the key content of prescription drug training for dermatology nurses in future.The results of the study could provide a basis for the implementation of nurses'prescription rights in China in future and provide a reference for the formulation of relevant legislation on nurses'prescription rights.

Epidemiological Profile of Autoimmune Diseases in Thiès, Senegal: About a Descriptive Observational Study over 11 Years in 2 Internal Medicine Departments and a Dermatology Department

Introduction: Autoimmune diseases are characterized by a very large clinical polymorphism that can lead to a diagnostic wandering. So, we aimed to determine their epidemiological profile outside the context of Dakar (capital of Senegal) where the technical plateau is more elevated. Methodology: We conducted a retrospective descriptive and observational study from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2017. All patients admitted or followed in outpatient in the Internal Medicine departments of the Saint Jean de Dieu and Regional Hospitals of Thiès as well as in the dermatology department of the CHRT (Regional Hospital Center of Thiès), and who met the MAI criteria (autoimmune diseases) have been included. The data were collected on a standardised sheet and analysed by EPI INFO version 7.2. Results: A total of 121 patients were included out of 25951 records i.e a prevalence of 0.46% in internal medicine departments. In dermatology, out of 31973 patients, 95 had MAIS (systemic autoimmune diseases): 0.29% as hospital prevalence. The average age was 40.7 years in internal medicine departments compared to 37.66 years 14.8 years in the dermatology department. Patients aged 30 to 59 years represented 57.89% of the study population. The sex ratio (H/F) was 0.3 in the internal medicine departments compared to 0.17 in the dermatology department. Circumstances of discovery were incidental in 16.52% and clinical in 3.30%. Biermer disease accounted for 29.75% of organ-specific MAI. Concerning systemic presentations, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was present in 23.14%. Lupus was more representative in dermatology (65.2%) as well as systemic scleroderma (21%), dermatomyositis (6.3%). Cytopenia was found in 105 patients, showing in detail anemia (42.9%);leukopenia (14.8%);thrombocytopenia (2.4%). Autoantibodies were tested in 58 patients (47.9%). Skin histology was contributory in all cases of systemic scleroderma and in 5 cases of lupus. The main therapy prescribed was corticosteroid therapy alone or in combination with an immunosuppressant. Conclusion: In addition of infectious diseases, Subsaharan Africa is under the era of changing face of its epidemiology, and cardiovascular diseases shows signs of emergence, like auto-immune presentations. However, the difficult apprehension of these so subtle last diseases suggests that they are few reported. Technical tools in regions should be enhanced associated to a non-binding capacity building system targeting such diseases with an emphasis on good record keeping.

Dermatology in the military field: What physicians should know?

In the civilian dermatological setting, the top 5 skin diseases usually seen are eczema/dermatitis, acne, benign skin tumors, viral infections and pigmentary disorders. In comparison, the top 5 skin conditions encountered in the military sector are usually fungal infections, eczema/dermatitis, insect bite reactions, bacterial infections and acne. This is not surprising as military personnel, due to the special environment and vocations they are in, are prone to getting eczema as heat, sweating and wearing of the military uniform aggravate the condition. Fungal infections are common in those who wear the army boots. Insect bite reactions are not an uncommon sight among those who have to go to the jungle regularly for outfield training. Grass allergy or intolerance, contact dermatitis or acneiform eruption due to the application of military camouflage cream on the face, contact dermatitis to insect repellents, and military uniform allergy and intolerance are amongst the commonest dermatological problems encountered in the military field, and physicians should recognize them, investigate and manage these problems accordingly. Lastly, a diagnosis not to be missed in the military field is cutaneous melioidosis, especially when a military personnel presents with a non-healing ulcer.

Presenting patterns of dermatology conditions to an Australian emergency department

BACKGROUND: Approximately 5%–8% of emergency department(ED) presentations are due to a dermatological condition.This study aimed to identify and characterise patients with skin conditions presenting to a busy ED.METHODS: A 5-year retrospective study on patients with dermatological conditions presenting to the Princess Alexandra Hospital ED in Brisbane, Australia was performed.Electronic medical records were used to compare demographics and admission status of the dermatology group and the total ED group presentations.A prospective survey was conducted on low priority triage(triage 4 and 5) patients identifying reasons presenting to the ED.RESULTS: Of a total 281,718 ED presentations, 11,748 dermatology presentations were identified between January 2012 to December 2016.Of the dermatology presentations, 41.5% were female and had an average age of 47.The most common dermatology presentations were cellulitis, abscess, rash unspecified, and ulcer.Of those admitted, 36% were female, average age was 53, mean length of stay of 294 minutes and 83.1% had an infectious aetiology.Of triage 4 and 5 presentations, 66% patients we approached had been seen by a health practitioner prior to coming to the ED.CONCLUSION: Within the population presenting with a skin related condition to the Princess Alexandra Hospital ED, characteristics associated with admission include male sex, older age, and an infectious etiology.This data may help ED clinicians decide on the discharge disposition of these patients.There may be a role for streamlined admissions for skin related infections, or improved hospital in the home services to support this group.

Nursing Care of Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Case Study of Dermatology Unit of Referral Hospital, Kenya

Introduction: Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are adverse reaction to drugs whose manifestation affect the skin and mucous membranes whose outcomes may be life threatening and fatal. Supportive management has been proven to be the mainstay with well executed nursing care resulting in quality clinical outcomes. The aim was to evaluate the nursing care interventions in management of patients with SJS/TEN in the dermatology unit. Methods: Qualitative design was used, data were collected through observation of nursing care activities, informant interviews and focus group discussion with the nurses. Qualitative data were recorded in audio tapes and transcribed. Qualitative content analysis was used for the analysis of the transcribed texts. Study was approved by KNH/ERC and informed written consent from participants. Funding was obtained from KNH through the Research and Programs department. Findings: 20 nurses participated in the study. The commonest nursing care interventions were described as routine tasks initiated at clinical diagnosis and routinely performed. They include aggressive skin care, wound care, mucosal and eye care, infection surveillance and prevention practices and general patient monitoring for complications. Skin and wound care were most challenging part of nursing care due to severe erosion or exfoliation. Nurses do not use any specific guidelines of care but consider their role a key in quality outcomes for patients with SJS/TEN in this hospital.

Dermatology Procedural and Surgical Skills Workshop for Medical and Physician Assistant Students

Background: Evidence indicating the limited amount of hands-on experience in the current era of medical training has raised concern regarding students’ development and potential deficiencies in the performance of basic procedural skills. Studies have demonstrated the value of surgical workshops for medical students;however evaluation of improved student performance during future clerkships or residencies has yet to be assessed. We initiated and evaluated a resident-led surgical skills workshop for students through the Department of Dermatology. Methods: Participants received instructions on surgical tools/techniques followed by hands-on practice. Anonymous surveys administered to 24 medical and physician assistant students assessed their skill level, confidence level, and likelihood of using surgical skills in future practice preand post-workshop using a 1 - 5 Likert scale. Overall experience was also assessed. Non-parametric bivariate tests were used for analysis to account for non-normal distribution of the data. Results: There was a statistically significant change in skill (p = 0.0001) and confidence (p = 0.0001) level post workshop. There was no significant difference in utility. There were also no statistically significant differences based on the year of medical student training, medical student versus physician assistant student responses, or number of procedures performed prior to the workshop. Estimated cost per participant was $5.65. Conclusions: Research supports our finding that workshop learning experiences increase students’ ability to perform common procedural skills, their confidence, and desire to practice such skills. Further studies are necessary to determine the impact of these skills workshops on long-term clinical performance in future clerkships and residencies.

Integrated Business Intelligent System for E-Health: A Case for Dermatology Diseases

In the current era, information technology has boosted every field of life either business industry or healthcare to integrate the internal processes of it. Due to the demand of managing huge data related to these fields numerous information systems play different roles in making the organizational processes robust and up to date. This paper discusses the integrated business intelligence implication specifically for healthcare to provide the fast and precise information on time. Therefore, this paper discusses the idea of building intelligent system based on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) databases using exclusively for dermatology diseases by applying data mining techniques. Firstly, classification mining has been applied for categorization data based on patient’s record. Then rules and patterns generated from the categorized data related to dermatology diseases, symptoms and treatments. The proposed system will retrieve the corresponding information related to the given symptoms along with medication and complete treatment. This research aims to integrate different ERP processes with centralized ERP database to provide business intelligence effectively for the dermatologists. The paper has provided with the comprehensive conceptual framework and each step has been discussed in detail.

Surgical Flap and Graft Reconstruction Workshop for Dermatology Residents

Background: Traditional models for teaching surgical principles focus primarily on the apprenticeship theory;however there has been a trend in surgical education to certifying competency in a simulation environment prior to working with patients. Many surgical models emphasize learning the technical and manual dexterity skills necessary to be a surgeon, yet few focus on obtaining the theoretical and abstract skills needed for planning complex cutaneous surgical repairs with flaps and grafts. We developed and evaluated a novel surgical flaps and grafts workshop for residents through the Department of Dermatology. Methods: Participants received a 60 minute PowerPoint lecture focusing on the basic principles of cutaneous repair with flaps and grafts, with examples and explanation of each of the four main types of flaps and grafts. The participants then received nine photocopies of Mohs micrographic surgery defects with instructions to design three repairs, focusing on functional and aesthetic outcome. Hypothetical and actual repair designs were then discussed in an open forum format. Anonymous surveys administered to 11 dermatology residents assessed their knowledge level, confidence level, and likelihood of using flaps and grafts pre- and post-workshop using Likert scales. Overall experience was also assessed. A paired sample Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used for analysis, since the data was non-parametrically distributed. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in confidence performing flaps post workshop (p = 0.0469). There was also an increase in knowledge of flaps and grafts, confidence in planning flaps and grafts, and confidence in performing grafts post workshop, but these findings did not reach statistical significance. The workshop had no effect on expected future use of flaps and grafts. Conclusions: The surgical workshop is a novel simulation teaching tool for learning basic principles and design of flaps and grafts in cutaneous surgery.

Dermatology Resident Generated Textbook Questions as a Resident-Centered Educational Strategy

Background: Textbook conferences are widely used by dermatology residency programs in the United States to provide educational exposure to the specialty. Typically an entire textbook is reviewed each academic year. However, residents may be uncertain about mastery of the assigned readings. Since most dermatology textbooks do not provide questions about the material presented at the end of each chapter, an innovative senior resident from our program wrote questions about each chapter and offered them to the other residents prior to scheduled discussions of the assigned materials. Methods: A pilot study for resident generated quizzes about assigned textbook reading in general dermatology was developed, implemented, and assessed by anonymous completion of a Likert Scale by participants. Results: Participants indicated that quizzes better prepared them for the annual dermatology in-service examination and they thought that the additional creation of quiz materials in the subspecialty areas of dermatopathology and dermatologic surgery would be useful. Conclusion: Resident generated quizzes are a novel approach to the learning environment during dermatology residency for residency programs and may be useful for other residency programs that utilize textbook conferences. Additional research is needed.

Fecal microbiota transplant for more than Clostridioides difficile: Dermatology a new frontier

Fecal microbiota transplant(FMT)has quickly become popular in research not only for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections but for other chronic conditions as well.Recent,small dermatologic studies have reported improvements in inflammatory skin conditions in individuals treated with FMT,but larger studies are needed to clarify this possible relationship between the skin and the gut microbiome.We conducted a single-center,retrospective chart review to assess changes in acne,dermatitis herpetiformis and/or celiac disease,eczema,and psoriasis.Due to the retrospective nature of this study and the limitations of the current electronic medical record,we were unable to adequately assess cases of these diseases in relation to FMT.However,this study informs us that improvements in retrospective data are needed to formally evaluate this possible association.The better,but more cumbersome,study design would be a prospective,observational study.We encourage others to pursue further interdepartmental research on the influence of the gut microbiome on inflammatory skin diseases.

Prescribing Pattern for Skin Diseases in Dermatology OPD at Borumeda Hospital, North East, Ethiopia

Introduction: Skin diseases are the major contributors of disease burden in society. Dermatological therapy ultimate goal is achieved by administering the safest and least number of drugs. The problem gets compounded with the inappropriate and irrational use of medicines. Therefore, periodic prescription audit in the form of prescribing patterns is away to improve irrational prescription. The objective of this study to assess the prescription patterns of dermatological agents in Borumeda hospital. Method: Hospital based retrospective cross sectional study in which prescribing patterns of dermatological agents are assessed. A total of 385 samples of patient record prescription from November/1/2016 to December/30/2016, and the sample were selected by systematic random sampling technique. Sample prescriptions were reviewed using structural data collection format. The Collected data was analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Result: Regarding rout of administration, the maximum number of drugs was prescribed topically (66.2%). Topical steroids were the most commonly prescribed drugs (25.3%). Use of generic prescribing in single drug prescribing was 81.7%. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis was higher (26.3%, 20.8%) in both male and female respectively followed by scabies in male with 12.2% and Acne vulgaris (12.9%) in female. Number of drugs per prescription was higher (2.46) than WHO standard (Conclusion: The current study reveals that topical corticosteroids were commonly prescribed drugs in the dermatology unit and the prescribing practice imitates incidence of polypharmacy.

Research progress on the application of microneedle transdermal drug delivery system in dermatology

Transdermal drug delivery systems(TDDs)have the advantages on good local targeting,controlled and sustainable drug delivery.Hoewever,the stratum corneum,as the main skin barrier,severely limits the transdermal penetration of drugs and reduces bioavailability,which also limits their application.Microneedles(MNS)penetrate the stratum corneum and create several reversible microchannels in a minimally invasive manner to significantly improve the penetration of therapeutic agents,and are considered a milestone for effective transdermal drug delivery.As an emerging drug delivery modality,microneedle transdermal drug delivery systems have the advantages of being minimally invasive,safe,efficient,economical and convenient.In addition to the extensive research on microneedles for improving transdermal drug delivery,there is a growing interest in using them to manage and treat dermatological conditions.Being the largest organ in the human body,the skin acts as a barrier between the body and the external environment,while having an immense influence on appearance and self-confidence.Indeed,there is now a considerable body of evidence on how dermatological conditions can lead to psychological problems and a reduced quality of life.The utilisation of microneedle transdermal drug delivery systems for the management and treatment of dermatological conditions is of great therapeutic and commercial value.The principleof microneedle transdermal drug delivery systems and the progress of its clinical application in dermatology are reviewed here.

Orchard Sports Injury and Illness Classification System (OSIICS) Version 15

Background:Sports medicine(injury and illnesses)requires distinct coding systems because the International Classification of Diseases is insuf-ficient for sports medicine coding.The Orchard Sports Injury and Illness Classification System(OSIICS)is one of two sports medicine coding systems recommended by the International Olympic Committee.Regular updates of coding systems are required.Methods:For Version 15,updates for mental health conditions in athletes,sports cardiology,concussion sub-types,infectious diseases,and skin and eye conditions were considered particularly important.Results:Recommended codes were added from a recent International Olympic Committee consensus statement on mental health conditions in athletes.Two landmark sports cardiology papers were used to update a more comprehensive list of sports cardiology codes.Rugby union protocols on head injury assessment were used to create additional concussion codes.Conclusion:It is planned that OSIICS Version 15 will be translated into multiple new languages in a timely fashion to facilitate international accessibility.The large number of recently published sport-specific and discipline-specific consensus statements on athlete surveillance warrant regular updating of OSIICS.

Eruptive xanthomas in a patient with severe hypertriglyceridemia:A case report

BACKGROUND Xanthomatosis,a metabolic disorder causing yellow growths(xanthomas),poses challenges in lipid metabolism.This case study introduces the first documented instance within China's Yi population,emphasizing the need to explore dietary habits and treatment strategies tailored to this specific community.CASE SUMMARY Xanthomatosis is a metabolic disorder where lipid metabolism goes awry,resulting in the development of yellowish growths called xanthomas.A male patient,47 years of age,from China's Yi population,who is obese,visited our dermatology clinic complaining of widespread,non-painful rashes that have been present for two weeks.The patient works as a chef and has a diet that frequently includes oily and greasy foods.This case represents the initial documentation of xanthomatosis within the Yi population in China,offering a theoretical foundation for understanding dietary patterns and treatment options specific to the Yi community.CONCLUSION The first report of xanthomatosis in the Yi population in China lays a theoretical foundation for understanding Yi dietary patterns and treatment.

Different administration routes of tranexamic acid in the treatment of melasma

Melasma is a prevalent and challenging skin condition that affects the face and causes distress in many patients and physicians.Tranexamic acid(TA)has been found to be effective for treating melasma and can be administered through multiple routes.This review details the mechanisms of action of TA in treatment of melasma and assesses the efficacy and safety associated with different administrations,which can contribute to selecting appropriate melasma treatment plan for different patients.

The Impact of Psychosocial Influences on Chronic Wound Healing

This comprehensive review explores the intricate dynamics between psychosocial factors and chronic wound healing processes, specifically focusing on prevalent conditions such as pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and venous leg ulcers. By examining the roles of psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this paper illuminates how these factors intricately influence wound healing dynamics, including mechanisms of pain perception and inflammatory responses. Furthermore, we evaluate the effectiveness of integrated biopsychosocial interventions, which encompass a holistic approach to wound care, thereby enhancing healing outcomes for dermatology patients. Future studies should focus on investigating the specific psychosocial determinants that significantly influence wound healing, exploring novel therapeutic strategies, and implementing personalized interventions to meet the unique needs of each patient. Such endeavors hold promise in advancing the fields of psychodermatology and wound management, fostering a deeper understanding and application of psychosocial considerations in dermatological care.

Blue Cap Is Effective and Safe for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis in Children

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common inflammatory skin disease in children. Treatment of AD is based on skin barrier repair and reduction of inflammation. We analyzed the efficacy and safety of activated piroctone olamine (APO)—Blue Cap—in children with AD. Materials and Methods: An open-label interventional clinical study was carried out at three clinical centers in Serbia. A total of 58 patients with AD, aged between 3 and 18 years were included and treated with Blue Cap Foam (100 ml;CATALYSIS S.L. Madrid)—Activated Piroctone Olamine—applied twice a day in the affected areas with eczema for 30 days and final assessment at 45 days from baseline. Photographic documentation, clinical evaluation, therapy effectiveness and safety questionnaires were assessed at baseline, 15, 30 and 45 days. Results: Our results demonstrated a significant reduction in signs (erythema, scaling, infiltration, excoriations, xerosis) and symptoms (pruritus) at weeks 2 and 4 of the study. At the end of the study, most patients had moderate (28.6%) to great (62.5%) disappearance of manifestations and moderate (25%) to great (71.4%) skin quality improvement. The effect and tolerability of the therapy were evaluated as very good in 66.1 % and 67.9% and good in about 14.3% and 17.9%, assessed by the investigator and patient, respectively. Three patients experienced a burning sensation at the beginning of the study, the side-effects were resolved as the patients continued applying the foam. After two weeks of cessation of the investigated foam, a significant percentage of patients experienced worsening in the final assessment done by the investigator as well as the participant. In the final assessment, a significantly high percentage (57.1%) of patients had a total reduction of manifestation, and a significant number of participants considered the applied product as treatment success, assessed by the investigator (62.5%) as well as the participants (66.4%). Conclusions: Blue Cap is effective and safe in children with AD, although further large-scale randomized controlled trials should confirm our study findings.

Application of the Dermatology Life Quality Index in Clinical Trials of Biologics for Psoriasis

The significance of patient-reported outcomes（PROs） is increasingly being acknowledged and quality of life（QOL） has become an integral element of the assessment of overall burden of disease.Psoriasis has been known for its major impact on patients＇ QOL and various generic,dermatology-specific and psoriasis-specific self- administered psychometric instruments have been used over the years to assess the QOL of psoriasis patients.However,the Dermatology Life Quality Index（DLQI） is the most widely used QOL measure among these measures in psoriasis-related clinical trials. A number of topical and systemic treatments have been used in the management of psoriasis and lately biologics have emerged as a new and promising treatment modality for difficuIt-to-treat psoriasis.The evidence on the efficacy of these agents has been growing dramatically with QOL being used as one of the primary outcome measures in many clinical trials.The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the use of the DLQI as an outcome measure for assessing the QOL impact of biologies on psoriasis patients.Furthermore,the efficacy of five commonly used biologics has been compared in terms of their ability to improve the QOL assessed by the DLQI.This review has revealed that there is a variation in the efficacy of various biologies in terms of QOL improvement with the mean reduction in the DLQI scores being highest for ustekinumab 90 mg（mean DLQI score reduction=9.5）,followed by infliximab（8.5）,etanercept 50 mg,twice a week（7.7）,adalimumab（6.3）,and alefacept（4.0）.

Reliability and validity of dermatology life quality index: assessment of quality of life in human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients with pruritic papular eruption

OBJECTIVE: To test the reliability and validity of dermatology life quality index(DLQI) in simplified Chinese language by assessing the quality of life(QoL) in HIV(human immunodeficiency virus)/AIDS(Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) patients with pruritic papular eruption(PPE). METHODS: A study of simplified-Chinese-versiond from10 questions with the principal component analysis and the contribution rate of the 3 common factors was 59.95%. CONCLUSION: The simplified-Chinese-version DIQL is an acceptable and valid scale for HIV/AIDS patients with PPE. It can be used to evaluate the QoL of HIV/AIDS patients with PPE in China.

Clinical Application of Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Dermatology

Platelet-rich fibrin(PRF)is a second-generation platelet concentrate obtained from autologous blood.PRF is composed of abundant platelets,leucocytes,and a high concentration of various growth factors and fibrinogen.The composition and three-dimensional structure of PRF enable it to effectively make cells migrate and proliferate,playing an important role in tissue repair.Furthermore,the easy preparation and low cost of PRF make it a good treatment option.Numerous articles have been published about the application of PRF in clinical practice,however,the application of PRF in dermatology has not been comprehensively reviewed.The objective of this review article was to discuss various applications of PRF in dermatology,including healing chronic wounds,treating androgenic alopecia,skin rejuvenation,autologous fat transplantation,and treating vitiligo.PRF is a promising dermatologic treatment,but lacks a standardized protocol regarding its methods of attainment and use,which needs more investigations.